Midnight
by demongoddess
Summary: Definitely ToFu and Koganei/Ganko. A/U. Prince Mikagami and his brother Koganei make a trip to their cousin, Princess Yanagi's kingdom - what happens when they meet a peasant by the name of Fuuko, and her sister, Ganko?
1. Whispers in the Wind

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Flame of Recca. Gimme a break. If I owned that wonderful anime, do you honestly think I'd be writing fanfics?  
  
A/N: Ok! My first FoR fic!! Well, actually my second…but I don't really count the other one cuz when I wrote it, it wasn't really directed to any specific anime. Go ahead and read that one too (It's called "Mirror Image" – review I tellya!!) if you want – try to guess who's my main character in that one!! It's a toughie!  
  
Well, anyway, back to *this* story – enjoy!  
  
  
  
1.1.1 Midnight  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: Whispers in the Wind  
  
~*~  
  
  
  
She walked through the tattered streets. Who was she? Kirisawa Fuuko. The same Kirisawa Fuuko the nobles took extra caution to avoid because of her rebellious nature. The same Kirisawa Fuuko who was now scrimmaging through the streets, doing what her lowly job required her to do. All this for her family.  
  
Technically, it wasn't really a family, but it was as close to one as it could get. The only blood relative that was left, however, was a cute little blonde named Ganko, her imoto.  
  
The next closest "family member" was a spiky-haired boy named Recca. She and Recca both had been good childhood friends. He had saved her once when she was very young. From then on, Fuuko had always looked up to him as an older brother. Recca had taught her how to fight, and how to defend herself to survive. It was then when she showed him her family heirloom, a strange armband called Fujin. Showing her his own elemental weapon, he taught her how to control her madogou.  
  
Since he worked at the palace, Recca managed to get her a working job at the palace, too. She wasn't one of the higher servants, but it was much better than the life she and her imoto were living outside the palace. Much better, considering how she was favored among the servants. He had introduced her to Domon, his long-time friend, and Yanagi, the love of his life.  
  
When she met Yanagi, Fuuko was thoroughly surprised. When he said 'his love of his life', Fuuko hadn't expected the Hime of the entire country! But, she was happy for Recca, for Yanagi no Hime loved him back with all her heart. Fuuko and the Princess became good friends, and they acted like sisters.  
  
Although Fuuko hated being pitied, everything she did was for her imoto. Before Recca had found her, Fuuko had to beg for food. As much as she hated to beg, she understood that sometimes it was necessary. After all, her imoto's life was on the line. Try as she may, but getting jobs was extremely difficult. They only got paid for what they did and money meant food and clothing. But without money, Fuuko had been forced to take extreme measures, no matter how disgraceful, including stealing. She didn't want to see her only family starve.  
  
Well, so here she was, walking back from the market. She had been given an order to buy some extra supplies for the great feast that was going to take place that night. She looked down in her basket to make sure she had everything.  
  
Loud noises interrupted her train of thought. Looking to her right, she saw a crowd begin to form. To her surprise and shock, she saw a great white horse and guards both in front and behind it. On top of the horse was what surprised her the most – a dangerously handsome man wearing the royal seal.  
  
Fuuko was a peasant, all right, but she wasn't stupid or uneducated.  
  
/That looks like the royal seal from one of our neighboring countries…what could they be doing here?/  
  
Although she didn't realize it, she was actually staring at him. With his silky silver hair, broad shoulders, and perfect figure – who wasn't? His face and stature were no less than perfection.  
  
Finally gaining consciousness of what she was doing, she shook her head violently.  
  
/Hmpf. I bet he's a spoiled brat that gets whatever he wants! Snobby noble…/  
  
It wasn't surprising that well over half of the crowd was made of the female population. Same story over – women drooling with their dreamy expressions, and men glaring on with envy.  
  
Fuuko watched with disgust. As far as she was concerned, physical attraction was as far as it got.  
  
As she neared her destination, Fuuko heard a familiar scream.  
  
"Let go of me, you creep!"  
  
"Come here you disrespectful wretch!"  
  
"I SAID LET GO!!!"  
  
Praying that she had heard wrong, Fuuko ran to where all the commotion was starting up. Unfortunately for her, she had heard right. A little blonde girl was being ganged-up on by three drunk soldiers. She was just in time to see one of them cut the girl's arm slightly with a knife. What she saw almost scared her out of thinking straight.  
  
Almost.  
  
/Ganko?!/  
  
Her instincts clicked on and she ran in front of the only real family member she had left just as one of the other drunken soldiers was about to hit her sister.  
  
/Thank Kami Recca taught me how to fight…/ she thought as she blocked the hit with crossed wrists.  
  
"You bitch!" the soldier yelled at her, as he sloughed around and tried to gain balance in his drunken state. Mustering all her strength, (which is quite a lot), Fuuko kicked the poor guy in the gut, sending him crashing into merchant stands. Fuuko had always been trained to calculate strategically under pressure and work efficiently with fast reflexes to gain the obvious advantage. Sliding into her impeccable fighting stance, she was more than prepared, as some other soldiers got ready to attack her.  
  
Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the man on the white horse, just watching with an expressionless face.  
  
/That bastard! How dare he just sit and watch soldiers beat up a little girl – ESPECIALLY MY IMOTO!/  
  
"Ganko! Get out of here!"  
  
"But nii-chan!"  
  
"Go! NOW!"  
  
"But what about you?"  
  
At this distraction, the same soldier from before began to advance upon Ganko and slashed her cheek with a knife. Ganko was lucky that she had seen that just in time, and jumped back, so she only had a slight cut. When Fuuko saw Ganko's blood, burning rage empowered her. Anger is an understatement for what Fuuko felt. Ooh she was fuming. With pure hatred, Fuuko used her Fujin to fling the offender with a wave of her hand, while blocking another with both hands.  
  
"Ganko. Go. Now."  
  
Still a little uneasy with leaving behind her sister with the drunken men (not mentioning that they were armed, too!), she was about to protest when familiar hands grabbed her, pulling her into an empty area.  
  
"Recca?" her sweet innocent voice betrayed her fear.  
  
"Ssh…stay quiet Ganko."  
  
"Is nii-chan gonna be ok?"  
  
"Of course, silly! After all, I was the one who taught her!" he replied, attempting to lighten the mood.  
  
One look at Ganko proved his attempt futile.  
  
"Ganko, Fuuko will be fine."  
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"I'm positive. But for now, we had better get your cuts cleaned up." Only until Recca mentioned it and reassured that Fuuko was ok, Ganko felt her cuts sting.  
  
Together, they rushed back to the safety of the palace, both hoping that Fuuko be safe.  
  
/Safe? What in the world am I talking about? I've known Fuuko long enough to know that she literally LAUGHS at danger!/  
  
And indeed, that was exactly was Fuuko was doing. Recca almost fell over when he thought he actually heard Fuuko laughing.  
  
Fuuko wore a huge evil grin on her sun-kissed face as the last of the drunken soldiers fell into a neat heap on the dusty earth.  
  
Even without using much of her Fujin, the wind goddess found it ridiculously easy to take on the soldiers all at once, now that she was no longer distracted by protecting Ganko. Bystanders thought she was crazy when she declared she would fight all of them at once, and some even whispered that she was signing her own death warrant.  
  
The pitiful soldiers crawled away, most of them now sober, some casting a glance of fear and panic at her. Fuuko's eyes narrowed and her grin disappeared.  
  
"Don't you ever dare think of harming my imoto again," Fuuko hissed, her voice practically screaming murder.  
  
After her threat, Fuuko used her Fujin to jump onto the roof of a house and kept jumping from roof to roof. This way, it would appear as if she had disappeared and no one would be able to follow her, hypothetically. Eager to see if Ganko was all right, Fuuko sped up her pace.  
  
She had been relieved when Recca had decided to step in and pull Ganko out. Even thought she didn't see him, she was able to feel him. If he hadn't intervened, she might have lost her life, not to mention her sister's life. Try as she might, she still did not have complete control over her Fujin.  
  
XXX  
  
The silver-haired man was still atop the horse, watching the wind goddess jump from house to house. Everyone else was looking around in confusion.  
  
Though he would never admit it out loud, he realized that she had potential. He had watched the strange woman's every move with great interest. It had certainly been a while since he saw a woman fighter. His keen vision did not leave the retreating woman.  
  
/Hn. She has a madogou. Why would a peasant like her have one?/  
  
XXX  
  
Ganko sat on the edge of the bed in the room she and her sister shared. Fuuko closely examined her cuts.  
  
"Ganko are you ok?"  
  
"Hai. Yanagi healed me." Ganko ran up to Fuuko and hugged her.  
  
Fuuko frowned at sight of the scar on her cheek. "She healed you?"  
  
"Hai…but Recca-kun said that I'd probably keep this scar because it was a little deeper…but me and Recca were really worried about you!"  
  
"It's 'Recca and I,'" Fuuko corrected. "There's nothing to worry about Ganko. See? I'm fine!"  
  
Ganko held her sister tighter.  
  
"Come on, Ganko. We'd better go get everything ready for the celebration tonight."  
  
"Okay!"  
  
**That Night**  
  
Even though Fuuko and Ganko had to set everything for the celebration that night, Yanagi pleaded with her father to let them participate. Unable to refuse his daughter anything, he agreed to let them join as special guests.  
  
Everyone was dressed up. To Recca and Domon's surprise, Yanagi had actually gotten Fuuko to wear a nightgown for the occasion. It was nowhere as fancy and luxurious as Yanagi's, but it had a simple elegance to it, enhancing her feminine side. Fuuko had long grown out her hair, due to much persuasion on Yanagi's part, and now it was up on a bun. Dark amethyst locks of hair framed her face, accenting her rosy cheeks. Her headband had been removed, and replaced with a silver tiara, from special request from yet again, Yanagi. Even Ganko was dressed up.  
  
Yanagi and Fuuko sat together at a table while waiting for the ball to commence.  
  
"Yanagi, you never mentioned why we were having a ball tonight," Fuuko asked, curious.  
  
"Father wanted to welcome some friends."  
  
"Friends?"  
  
"Hai. They're actually my cousins."  
  
"Yanagi?"  
  
"Hai, Fuu-chan?"  
  
"Arigato for letting me and Ganko participate in the ball tonight. I know that Ganko had always wanted to dress up like a princess and dance in a ball, and I want to thank you for giving her this chance."  
  
"Lighten up, Fuu-chan. We're practically sisters!"  
  
A voice ran across the room, announcing the arrival of a very important guest of honor, a certain handsome prince.  
  
"Look, Fuuko! There's my itoko! Let me introduce you guys."  
  
Fuuko caught a glimpse of Yanagi's cousin, who was already being bombarded with females.  
  
/Silky silver hair?/  
  
Yanagi practically dragged her friend over to the door, where her cousin entered.  
  
/Ice blue eyes…/  
  
"Konnichiwa, Tokiya-itoko!"  
  
"Konbawa, Yanagi no Hime," was the curt, but polite, reply from her cousin.  
  
Fuuko tried desperately to figure out why those aspects were so familiar.  
  
"Where's Mifuyu and Koganei?"  
  
"They'll be arriving later."  
  
"Ah..o well. Meet my friend, Kirisawa Fuuko," Yanagi continued, dragging Fuuko in front of her. "Fuuko, this is my itoko, Mikagami Tokiya."  
  
Fuuko finally had a chance to clearly see his face. Eyes widening and recognition apparent on her facial features, only one thought fluttered across her mind.  
  
/YOU?!/  
  
  
  
***  
  
AN: Yay!! Done!! You like? I hope this is good enough to earn at least a few reviews…*sniff* so special…I think this may be the first alternate universe fanfic on this couple done this way…but if it's not…eh, o well, I guess.  
  
This story was just sitting somewhere after I wrote it because I didn't really like the title. In fact, I still don't, but I can't really think of anything at the moment, so I might as well post it this way. Suggestions? In any case, the title might be changed sometime. 


	2. Roses with Thorns

Disclaimer: don't own, don't sue.  
  
A/N: I've changed the title 3 TIMES now.I think they're getting worse and worse.you think so? By the way, sorry for keeping this from you so long.had a lil case of writers' block for the longest time.  
  
  
  
Midnight  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: Roses with Thorns  
  
~*~  
  
Fuuko's mind went blank, and her brain picked out the best time to shut down on her. Speechless, she stood there gazing into piercing eyes of ice.  
  
Yanagi had left by now, leaving to find Recca. Now, it was only the two of them staring strangely at each other. An uncomfortable silence passed.  
  
His searching eyes showed no recognition, but Fuuko still had that nagging feeling. Maybe it was because she had been in rags the first time he saw her, and now she was in clothes fit for a queen?  
  
"Konban wa, Kirisawa-san." His smooth voice brought chills to her spine.  
  
"Konban wa," she stuttered back. Somehow this man was unnerving to her, as if he could see right through her with those penetrating blue pools.  
  
/It was only this morning.he couldn't have forgotten, could he?/  
  
His eyes would not leave hers, and she soon found that she was caught in his alluring web.  
  
"Oniisan!" a young boy's rang. Recognizing the voice immediately, Mikagami's snapped to the direction of the voice.  
  
He quirked an eyebrow with a slight smile to his lips. "Koganei, I thought you and Mifuyu- niichan were coming later."  
  
"We were.but she convinced otosan to let us go earlier." Then Koganei mimicked his niichan in a high-pitched voice, batting his eyelashes. " 'demo, otosan, I'm going to miss my favorite little brother!' "  
  
Mifuyu walked up to the trio and promptly whacked Koganei upside the head. "Keep it up, Koganei, and *you'll* be my new favorite ototo!"  
  
Koganei gulped, giving Mikagami a 'help-me' glance. Mikagami chuckled slightly watching his siblings banter.  
  
Then remembering that Fuuko was still present, Mikagami introduced her. He switched back to cold politeness. "Niichan, Koganei, this is Fuuko-san, Yanagi-itoko's good friend."  
  
Mifuyu nodded approvingly. "Ah, so you are Fuuko-san! Yanagi has told me much about you, Fuuko!"  
  
Feeling more at ease with this Yanagi-look-alike, than when she was alone with Mikagami, her inner personality shone out.  
  
"And you must be Mifuyu! I'm honored to meet you finally." Tilting her head, she spoke her thoughts. "Ano.have you ever tried to switch identities with Yanagi-chan before?" she said, a mischievous grin appearing on her face.  
  
Enjoying Fuuko's sense of humor, Mifuyu decided that she and her new acquaintance would become good friends. "That's a good idea.I'll have to keep that in mind, won't I *Koganei*?"  
  
The called one rolled his eyes.  
  
Ignoring his silent response, she continued. "Speaking of Yanagi, where is she?"  
  
Fuuko scanned the room. "Well, I think she might have run off to find Recca. She *was* right behind me.then she just decided to leave me back here with your brother."  
  
Mifuyu nodded in understanding. "My brothers aren't very fun to hang around with, ne?"  
  
Fuuko laughed merrily. Oh yes, they were going to be vvvvery good friends. "Come on, let's go find Yanagi. I can introduce you to Recca and my other friends." The two promptly left, as if Koganei and Mikagami weren't even there.  
  
Koganei shook his head in the background. "Women." he muttered.  
  
"Just wait 'til you fall in love with one," Mikagami said, grimacing.  
  
"Ugh.I don't even want to think about that. That's where all the chaos starts. She'll be ordering you around like a monster, and you'll follow her around like a sick puppy." Koganei shuddered.  
  
Mikagami shook his head and chuckled. "Just you wait, Koganei," he said while walking away.  
  
"Hope that day never comes," Koganei grumbled. /Great, now what am I gonna do? Niichan practically ditched me, and Oniisan just left me back here. This is such a waste of time./  
  
The room was getting dark, and the music was turned on. /Geez.not only was I alone without some kind of puzzle or something in a room full of strangers, now I'm alone without some kind of puzzle in a *dark room with loud music* that's full of strangers!/  
  
Just then, someone bumped into him. "Oof," Koganei reacted. It didn't hurt, of course, but it was a habit.  
  
A sweet feminine voice rang through his ears. "Gomen, gomen! Gomen nasai!"  
  
Looking down, he saw a blonde girl with the clearest blue eyes he had ever seen. "It's ok." Her head only came up to his chin, but he was sure she couldn't be more than a few years younger than himself.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I'm Ganko."  
  
"You can call me Koganei."  
  
His eyes stormed for a moment, debating. /I can't believe I'm going to do this. Oh well, it's not like I have anything better to do./  
  
"Would.would you like to dance, Ganko?"  
  
Don't take it the wrong way, it certainly wasn't everyday Koganei no Ouji asked a stranger for a dance. But there was something captivating about this girl. Was it her magnificent pools of blue? Her smooth, luscious- looking skin? Her wavy golden locks? Or maybe that sweet scent that seemed to linger everywhere she walked?  
  
/Nah, I'm just bored. Yeah, that's right. Just bored. I'm just bored. That's it./  
  
"H-hai," Ganko accepted shyly. This would be her first time dancing with anyone. She must have had a lot of good luck; instead of dreaming of dancing with their Prince Charming, like most girls.her first dance would be with a real Prince Charming.  
  
Koganei wound his arm around her slim waist, and led her toward the center of the ballroom. Ganko blushed at his touch. When they got there, Koganei looked straight into her eyes, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Ganko brought her arms to his shoulders, leaning in closer by coming around his neck.  
  
Meanwhile, Mikagami scanned the room. He saw Koganei dancing with a pretty blonde girl, and much to Mikagami's surprise, Koganei seemed to be enjoying it very much.  
  
/Maybe that day has already come, ne, Koganei?/ Mikagami mused, remembering their earlier conversation. His line of vision shifted to the woman from earlier, a particular Kirisawa Fuuko. /It's that peasant from this morning, I'm sure of it. She has a madogou, the Fujin, I believe. Why does *she* have it?/  
  
"Is there a reason you're hiding behind me, Niichan?" Mikagami inquired, his eyes never leaving his object of observation.  
  
Mifuyu came out of hiding and joined Mikagami. "Why is it I can never sneak up on you by surprise?" she pouted. "Anyway, what are you doing standing here all alone, Tokiya?"  
  
"Does it matter?"  
  
"Stop being so pessimistic about everything. I'm sure there are plenty of young women at this ball who are more than willing to dance with you."  
  
"I would prefer not to socialize with crazed women with one-digit IQ's."  
  
"Ne, Tokiya, you must not be so harsh upon them. There must be quite a few intelligent women in this room."  
  
Mikagami arched an eyebrow at his sister, seeming to ask her 'Are you kidding me?'  
  
"Okay, fine, maybe only two or three," Mifuyu admitted.  
  
He shot her a smug glance, silently relaying the message, 'See, what did I tell you?'  
  
"Well, that gives you no excuse not to dance. Fuuko-chan over there is an intelligent and crafty young lady. Why don't you dance with her?"  
  
Mikagami glared at Mifuyu, knowing she had him cornered. From what Yanagi had said, Fuuko was an intellectually insightful person, and from what he had seen, there was nothing he could deny her beauty-wise. Though her tanned skin and hands were anything but dainty, her unusual appearance and exotic shade of hair did nothing but add to appeal.  
  
"What for? She's busy talking to Yanagi," he said, trying to untangle himself from this mess.  
  
"She's busy talking because no one's asked her to dance."  
  
"Then why should I be the one to ask?"  
  
"Okay, fine, have it your way, Tokiya, but think about it," she said slyly with a knowing smirk as she walked away.  
  
Mikagami sighed in defeat. /She's going to be the death of me one day./  
  
XXX  
  
Fuuko surveyed the room as he listened to Yanagi drone on and on about Recca (A/N: forgive me, that sounded harsher than I meant! I mean no offense to Yanagi!).  
  
Fuuko smiled as she spotted Ganko dancing with Koganei. Well, if she wasn't having fun, at least she could be happy for her sister's fun, right?  
  
Yanagi stopped talking. When Fuuko's attention snapped back to her friend, she found that Recca had come up and asked for a dance while she had been thinking. Now she was standing all alone.  
  
Her thoughts shifted back to that man she had saw in the morning at the market. /I'm sure it's the same guy. It has to be - what's his name again? Oh yeah! - Mikagami Tokiya./  
  
Her mind was spinning with questions. Did he see her at the market place? He had to have seen her. Does he recognize her here? Does he know? If he does, is he hiding it? Why is he hiding it? Why was he staring at me so intently when Yanagi introduced us? Does he know something? Or was she just going a little paranoid? Maybe it isn't even the same guy.maybe a look-alike.  
  
Maybe.  
  
/.Maybe I should just go out for some fresh air to clear up my mind./  
  
Before she could, however, someone grabbed her wrist and beckoned her to stay. She unconsciously tensed at the voice, which could only belong to one man.  
  
"Dance with me," the husky voice demanded lightly.  
  
***  
  
A/N: Sorry.was that a little (or a lot) OOC? I'm sorry.GOMEN MINNA-SAN!!  
  
Thanks, The Other Person, for the correction about the niisan, oneesan thing.er.(shrugs) I looked it up in a dictionary so I don't really know.I'll be starting Japanese classes soon, tho, so it'll improve. Sorry!! 


End file.
